Tales of Flame - Side Stories
by Buwaro
Summary: A collection of small scenes and stories that couldn't fit in the main ToF story, focusing primarily on the side characters and just what they get up to off screen.
1. Hazel - The Twins

Suppose I should quickly explain why I felt the need to start another side project. I'm sure everyone who cares saw the little Scyther one shot I did about a year or two ago, as I didn't feel like I'd ever get a chance to show it in ToF proper. Well, as it turns out, I have more than a few things like that.

So here we are, a little place I can put all the scenes I'd like to do but can't fit into the main plot very easily. Mainly just character studies and filling holes in the narrative but, who knows, might get a full fledges side-story arc thing going on someday. We'll take it as it comes.

Anyway, I'm expecting about three or four parts to this particular side story. And they're all forthcoming, I'm just splitting it into smaller parts to keep an update speed going (and for feedback too, I suppose. Because even after all these years, I'm still self-conscious like that)

Finally, I'm going to apolagise in advance. Both for what I'm going to do and for not being anywhere near a good enough writer way back when to have done this particular character justice when I should have.

**Tales of Flame - Side Stories**

**Hazel - The Twins**

While everyone in Cerulean City were familiar with the grand Nugget Bridge leading into Route 24, very few people paid much attention to the lake that it crossed. Which meant that next to no one knew that, in a certain spot under the calm waters, there was a small tunnel leading into a grand cave. It's entrance from the land on Route 24 itself was similarly unknown. Meaning that, for the Vaporeon who called it home, there was only really one regular visitor. So he found himself quite confused when, after returning from the lake to find food, he found her staring into space at the edge the water, back to the small campfire she'd lit. Not even the slightest reaction as he pulled himself up onto dry land, dripping wet as he said down beside her. Not even when he spat out the two trout he'd caught for breakfast.

"Hazel? Hello?" Vapor leaned across and waved a blue paw in front of her face to no reaction. "Any one in there at all? No? Okay then."

He dropped his paw back to the ground, rocking back and forth on them for a moment before arching his spine in a pantomime of a stretch, complete with loud and exaggerated yawn. Still no response. Which was unfortunate, as that meant she didn't notice the small grin that over took the water Eon's face as he made use of his pose to swing his tail-fin and give her a light push from behind. That got her attention, the cave resounding with a panicked squeal as she jumped nearly out of her fur. Followed by a second as she promptly lost her balance and tipped forward into the water. Vapor rolled his eyes, unable to say anything as he ducked his head under the water and hauled a soaking wet Flareon out by the scruff of her neck.

"I don't know why you're mad at me!" He insisted a few minutes later at his scowling sibling as she tried to get the sodden yellow fur on her head to stay out of her eyes as she sat almost inside the small campfire, "you weren't responding to anything else. Had to make sure you were alive somehow."

"By trying to drown me?" Hazel grumbled, giving up at getting her head tuft back into place and just glaring at her brother. Who found it hard to take seriously with her fur still dripping water and clinging to her.

"I only tapped you, it's your own stupid fault you fell in." He idly batted a pebble around, "can't you just put up your body temperature so you dry instantly?"

Hazel didn't answer. Not verbally. She just glanced down at her belly before returning her glare to her brother, adding a layer of "are you really that stupid" ontop of it.

"Ah..." Vapor got the hint. Of course she couldn't rocket up her body temperature. While a Flareon could take it, the Eevee in her womb most certainly couldn't. She was going to have to sit and wait for her fur to dry the slow way. "Sorry?"

"It's fine. No harm done." Hazel's expression suddenly lightened now she had her apology, as she glanced down towards the fish he'd caught, "pass me one of those and we'll call it even."

Vapor faked musing on it for longer than strictly necessary, especially considering he'd caught two fish specifically so he'd have one to share, but he eventually nudged the largest of his catch forwards. For a soaking-wet, pregnant Flareon; Hazel could be decidedly agile when she felt like it. It took only a second for her to swipe the fish and back up to a safe distance.

Vapor had to shield his eyes with a paw as his cave was brightened even more when she threw her meal into the air and roasted it with an Ember. His aversion to sunlight had left his vision remarkebly sensitive to bright light, even the campfire his sister needed to see was difficult to look at directly, but thankfully the plume of fire only lasted a few seconds and faded away before Hazel accidentaly blinded him. Again. If she noticed his discomfort, she didn't show it, not even letting the roasted fish hit the ground before tucking in.

"Nice to see your eating habits haven't changed." Vapor mused.

His sister looking more like a ravenous Feraligatr than a Flareon as she tore it apart, not even sparing him a glance when she replied, "'ope."

"...At least swallow what you're eating before talking."

"Oh, 'orry." Crunch went a fishbone, before she looked up at him, "you gonna eat that one?"

A flick of his tail catapulted the second trout towards her. This time he was ready for the burst of flames, not even flinching. The fish dropped through the jet of fire and plopped straight next to the first. She barely got out a thanks before going back to her meal, Vapor merely rolling his eyes in mock annoyance. He could always go catch another meal later, after all, and his sister was eating for at least two. Rather than try and spark up a conversation, especially considering Hazel had a hard time seperating speech and chewing, he passed the time launching pebbles across the water with his tail.

It was something he'd had quite a bit of practice at. He glanced across the still pool of the water, dropping into a half crouch as his tail-fin scooped up a round stone and launched it into the air. He followed it arc through the corner of his eye, shifting his weight and hips when it started to fall back to earth. He took a breath, holding it for a second as the rock fell and his powerful tail swung and fired it over the water. He counted eight bounces before the stone sunk.

"Huh, must be out of practice."

He'd managed to get back up to ten before Hazel finished eating and walked over to join him, the two of them watching the ripples racing across the otherwise still pool.

"All finished now?" Vapor said, laying down and running a paw through the water.

"Stomach's quiet now, yup," she beamed, "although now the kits are kicking me."

"I still can't see you as a mom. I still picture you as that silly little Eevee gnawing on acorns all the time."

"Well this silly little Eevee's gone and grown up, mister playing-in-puddles-all-the-time."

Her ability to banter hadn't improved any though. Some things never change.

"Still like eating nuts though." She mused to herself.

"You'd have to change your name if you didn't." He laughed.

"Mom wasn't very imaginative." She joined in laughing.

"Nope. Would have been awkward if I hadn't become a Vaporeon, wouldn't it? A Jolteon called Vapor, it'd have been rediculous."

The laughter stopped. Hazel recognized the bitterness sneaking into her brother's voice. His condition, which caused his skin to blister and crack horribly whenever he was exposed to direct sunlight, had only kicked in after he had evolved. If she hadn't been with him at the time then it would have killed him. She'd only been an Eevee at the time, and had evolved herself just to get the strength to be able to drag him towards the cave entrance they'd discovered while playing as kits.

A cave he'd been living in ever since. Unfortunately Flareon's eyes were not as well suited to the darkness of the caverns, nor could she live on just fish, so she'd had to leave him when he'd recovered and live out in the open air. She visited when she could but, with kits of her own on the way, he was having to spend more and more time alone.

"C'm'ere." She insisted, wrapping her paws around her brother and pulling him into a hug. Thankfully her fur had mostly dried by then and he didn't fight it. "It'll be okay. It'll all be okay, I promise."

A part of him was annoyed at that, her making promises she had no idea how to keep... and the slightly patronizing pat on the head he was getting. But the rest of him knew she was simply trying to help, the way she always had.

"Thanks sis," he mumbled, trying not to get a mouthful of fur in the process. Any further comment was cut off as he suddenly pulled back with an "ooh," his gaze flicking between her belly and her eyes.

"Did you feel that?" He asked her, managing a small smile after having felt a tiny movement against his cheek.

"Yup," the mother-to-be nodded, "the little ones want to give you hugs too."

"Or slap me around the face for being mopey."

"Or both." She grinned, giving him a playing cuff around the ear-fin. "Now get off, I'm losing feeling in my leg."

He moved back, letting her lean on him as she pulled herself up with a groan.

"You doing okay there?" Vapor asked, even as she pulled away and shook out her back left leg gingerly before putting her weight back on it.

"Getting a little tired." Hazel shrugged, "I think I ate too much."

"Y'think?" The blue eon's head tilted quizzically.

"There you are!" She beamed, "back being a grumpy sourpuss again, instead of a sad one."

"I will push you in the water again." He managed to joke.

The two Eon's shared a grin and a chuckle, before Hazel turned to look towards the tunnel leading back to the surface. Vapor followed her gaze. His smile wavered for only a second before he stepped up beside the smaller Flareon and nudged her forwards.

"Go."

"You sure?" She asked, "I can probably stay a little longer-"

"It's fine. You need to get some rest. After all, the little ones are coming soon, right? If they're anything like we were, you'll need all the strength you can get."

"I suppose. But I probably won't be able to visit again until after I've-"

"I know." He smiled again, giving her a quick hug of her own.

Hazel bumped foreheads with him as he pulled back, their traditional goodbye.

"I'll come as soon as they're big enough to travel," she promised as he walked her towards the exit.

"I'll try not to scare them."

"Or dunk them in water."

"Or dunk them. Or be mean in any-way-shape-or-form. Eon's honour." Vapor held a paw up to his chest. Getting a level stare in return, he kept a perfectly sincere and straight face. And started waggling his ear-fins until Hazel broke into laughter again.

"You are such a goofball sometimes," she said inbetween giggles.

"Yup."

Hazel got herself back under control as they reached the tunnel that she'd have to climb back up to the surface. She stopped at its entrance, turning back to her brother and giving him a beaming smile.

"I notice you didn't promise not to dunk or be mean to me."

"Nope." He beamed back. Typical Vapor, really.

"You're gonna have to help me name 'em when I bring them, you know?"

"Figured as much," now it was his turn to break into laughter, "but only if you finally tell me about their father."

"Hmm," Hazel tapped a paw to her muzzle, thinking it over, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Sure."

"Good. Now go. I've got to go catch lunch, as you kinda ate mine."

"Hehe... oops?"

Another hug and head-bump as the Flareon started to climb the steep rock path out. Vapor turned away so she wouldn't get embarrased if she lost her grip and had to scramble for purchase. Again. He sat himself next to the tunnel though, keeping a careful ear out just in case she did need help. Thankfully, pregnant or not, she was able to make it out without any problems.

"Vapor!" He heard her calling from the exit, "I'll come see you as soon as I can, I promise."

"I'll get the fish ready!" He called back, "now go get some rest, that's an order!"

"Yes little brother!" She replied in a sing-song tone, before all finally went quiet.

Vapor sat there for a few more moments, looking towards the fire Hazel had lit. Smiling to himself for the first time all week, he got up and moved towards it. A quick Water Gun extinquished the flames and plunged the cavern back into it's usual darkness, his eyes taking only moments to adjust and pick out the clear pool of water leading into the lake.

"Well, time for lunch. Again." He chuckled to himself, running straight towards the pool, diving out into the open air and vanishing beneath the water without even a splash.

**-To Be Continued-**


	2. Hazel - Little Ones

Okay, this took a little longer than I'd hoped but we're back for part two of what's proving to be a very interesting piece to write. Especially trying to show some of the quirks and personality of a certain two characters despite not having any real dialogue to do it with. It's a challange but one I hope I've pulled off okay.

I'll warn you all in advance, military grade adorable here.

...Pt 3 soon. That one is probably not going to be quite so fun.

Yeah. We're getting that scene. Hoo boy.

**Tales of Flame - Side Stories**

**Hazel - Little Ones**

Route 4, leading into Cerulean City, saw it's fair share of traffic as Pokemon Trainers considered crossing Mt Moon in the route's centre to be a rite of passage. That same tendancy, as luck would have it, made it one of the safest places for a wild Pokemon to call home. The Humans and their Pokemon were usually so worn out after treking through the caves that they never left the main path and headed straight for the city beyond.

It wasn't unusual for Hazel to hear them passing right by her den in the tall grass. Although the number of passers by had dropped to almost nothing in the week since she'd last seen Vapor, not to mention when she was woken in the middle of the night by a strange rumbling and smoke coming from the mountain itself. Thankfully there didn't seem to be any sign of a rockslide, so she brushed it off. Having less Humans around was certainly no bad thing when she hadn't exactly been in fighting condition.

She was feeling much better now, happily basking in the sun outside of her den and idly batting around a hazelnut from paw to paw, her attention elsewhere. Eventually she tossed her namesake up into the air and caught it between her teeth. The Flareon's fangs made short work of the hazelnut's shell, the fragments joining an ever growing pile as she spat them out before munching on her treat.

"Ahh, it's been far too long." She murmered to herself, completely nonchalant about talking with her mouth full. During the last few weeks she hadn't been able to eat many of the nuts and berries she could forage nearby without feeling ill, so she was making the most of being able to eat her favourite treats again. She stopped only when her sensitive hearing picked up movement in the grass nearby.

Hazel's ears flicked once, twice, before she was able to confirm where the noise came from and was able to relax again. She swallowed her snack and quickly brushed some of the shell fragments out of the yellow fur around her neck before ducking her head inside the shelter she called home, leaning down to nuzzle the two tiny bundles of brown fur curled up together that were starting to wake up.

"Good morning, little ones."

She couldn't help but smile at the twin pairs of eyes that blearily looked up at her right up until the moment when they had woken up enough to recognize their mother and gave out simultaneous happy barks as they nuzzled her back. She gave them both a few quick licks, trying to get some of their fur back into place. It didn't make much of a difference. One in particular, the female, managed to squirm free and almost immediatly shook herself until her fur was just as messy as before.

Her brother, by comparison, was much better behaved. He happily stayed still as his mother fussed over his fur. Right up until she was finished and he tried to bound to his feet, only to trip over his own tail and somehow end up flipped onto his back, ruining all her hard work. Hazel found it hard to be annoyed, deciding to make the most of his position to give him belly rubs. His sister, watching him breaking into pleased giggles, immediately bounded over to intervene.

"Now, now, play nice," Hazel scolded her daughter when she tried to push her brother away. She gave the Eevee a light tap on the head, frowning down at her. Despite only being a few days old, not yet old enough to talk back, the little one was more than able to recognize the look. Her ears drooped slightly and she looked downcast, up until Hazel snuck another quick nuzzle and forehead lick.

She couldn't help but laugh at the indignified squeak her daughter let out when the Flareon took the opportunity to smooth out a little of her fur again, just so she didn't look more like a Zigzagoon than an Eevee. She smiled again, warm and gentle, as her son bounded over and tried to copy the motions, patting down the fur on his sister. Who didn't take too kindly to it, taking the change to pounce on him and the two launching into a playfight.

Hazel gave them a minute, musing over how she and Vapor had done the exact same thing when they were Eevee, before gently pushing the two of them apart with a paw. They both looked up at her quizically from their places on the ground, the male adding a head tilt for good measure. Hazel merely smiled down at the two seemingly-endless bundles of energy. For three days they'd been inside her den, under her watchful eyes as they figured out how to walk and play... and now it was time they took their first step into the outside world.

She lightly pushed her two children back onto their feet, giving them both a confident smile as she backed out of the den a few steps, sitting herself down in front of the entranceway where she knew they would still be able to see her.

"Come on, you two," she called, "it's a lovely day. Don't you want to come see it?"

She didn't have to wait long before she picked up the sound of rustling grass again, the two Eevee slowly stepping up into the entrance. They paused as they reached it, both seemingly baffled by the sudden change in brightness. The female cautiously pawed at the ground where sunlight met shadows, her brother watching every move.

Hazel didn't say anything, didn't push them along. It was a bright new world to them, after all, they needed to take it at their own pace. So she just watched over them from where she sat, quietly humming to herself as her children looked between her and back into the den. She gave them both a wam smile, trying to show them it was nothing to be afraid of.

Her daughter didn't seem convinced. She pulled her paw back out of the sunlight and took a half step half back into the shadows of the den. She glanced across at her brother, who gave a quiet croon of encouragement to her as he stepped forwards into the light. He paused for a moment, looking down at his forepaw fully in the outside world for a moment before he looked back up at the proud gaze of his mother.

Hazel couldn't help but lean down as she watched her son's tail start wagging as he threw caution to the wind and bounded out to her. She pulled him into a hug against her chest, nuzzling him for a moment.

"You're certainly a brave one, aren't you?" She praised, getting a cheerful bark in reply as he returned the hug. She smiled down at her fearless little one, eyes flickering up for only a moment when she heard a second set of footpaws racing in her direction.

She shifted her weight slightly, moving her son to the side so there was enough room as his twin sister dived into the hug too. For a moment Hazel wondered if this was jealousy, but the shivering and tiny whimpers told her exactly why her daughter had ran for her embrace. The Flareon hummed a soothing tune Vapor had taught her, holding her scared little Eevee against her chest fur.

"It's okay, there's nothing to be afraid off."

She sat there for a few minutes, quietly holding and reassuring her daughter before the cub's shaking finally settled down and a pair of teary black eyes finally looked up at her. Hazel gave her a warm smile and a quick kiss on the forehead before nudging her daughter's attention towards the other Eevee. He had squirmed out of the hug and was eagerly investigating the new sights and smells around him, sniffing and prodding at the small pile of hazelnut shells a few steps away.

Hazel couldn't help but giggle when he found a nut she hadn't gotten around to eating yet. It was almost comical really, watching someone not even a fifth of her size batting at a fairly large hazelnut, trying to work out what it was. She felt her daughter pull away slightly, turning to watch her brother try and size up this new thing. Although she made no move to step out of her mother's shadow.

Until said mother gave her a little push with her snout. Hazel smiled down at the startled eyes looking back at her, before nudging the Eevee forward again.

"Go on, go explore with your brother." She let the slightest trace of sterness into her tone, before switching back to her more comfortable cheerful warmth, "I'll be right with you, nothing bad is going to happen. I promise."

Slowly but surely the little one ventured out of her mother's shadow, glancing back for only a moment for encouragement before heading towards her brother. He had figured out that the hazelnut's shell needed to be cracked and was making an attempt to gnaw it apart, only to find his jaws couldn't quite get the purchase or the grip needed to punch it open. Even with his sister's arrival to help hold it steady, he just couldn't manage it. So he dropped the nut and barked at it, before going back to rolling around in the shell fragments.

His sister meanwhile was warily poking and prodding at the nut that had so easily thwarted her brother. Hazel had to fight the urge to laugh when she pushed the nut a little and nearly jumped out of her fur when it rolled away from her. The Flareon decided to step in, stepping up beside the two Eevee and patting her daughter on the head.

"Here, let me show you," she offered, leaning down to the defient hazelnut and crunching open the shell with one bite, before placing the large seed down in front of her curious children. "It's my breakfast. Can't live on milk and berries like you two."

Both Eevee returned to giving the nut their full attention, the female no longer seeming afraid of it with her mother standing beside her. She no longer jumped whenever it shifted from an overzelous prod, while her brother decided now was the perfect time to give it a quick taste. One lick later he sat back on his haunches, seeming to mull it over. The large shell fragment he'd somehow placed on his head like a hat almost falling off as he tilted his head and scrunched his nose in concentration, the guesture an almost perfect mimicry of Vapor whenever he was trying to think.

The Eevee even had the non-committal grunt down pat, pushing the nut away as he spotted something else new. Having spent his entire life thus far in Hazel's den, burrowed into the long grass, he was familiar with green plants. But yellow, yellow was new. He bounded off, knocking off his shell hat, towards a small yellow flower poking out of the grass nearby. His sister was right behind him, the two of them investigating the buttercup.

Hazel lay down in the grass by the den's entrance, sensing she was no longer needed, just resting and keeping a careful eye on her children as they looked the plant up and down as though it was one of the greatest mysteries of the world. Her daughter, recognizable even from a distance by the small white spiral marking in the normally brown fur on her side, leaned forwards and gave the flower a cautious sniff.

Hazel couldn't fight the smile as the little Eevee pulled back, nose scunching like her brother's in the moment before she let out a tiny sneeze. She shook her head, looking confused. Her brother gave her a pat on the head, looking her up and down as though making sure she was okay before he turned to the flower for his own turn at being a detective.

He walked around it a few times, looking it up and down with eyes that seemed to shine and gleam despite being almost pure black. Eventually he came to a halt, sitting himself down in front of the buttercup, ears flicking as he thought it over. And then, with a pointed glance towards the hazelnut, he leant fowards and bit into the bright yellow flower.

Hazel didn't have time to be concerned, he spat the petals back out almost immediately with a clear look of disgust. Sticking out his tongue and trying to spit out the taste, he stomped on the remaining part of the plant, even as his sister giggled at how silly he looked doing it. The two kits exchanged barks, communicating without actual words, before both seemed to reach an agreement to pretend nothing had ever happened and turned their backs on the thoroughly stomped buttercup.

The Flareon couldn't help but chuckle to herself as they both continued their explorations, her daughter's earlier fear long vanished in the face of the male's contageous enthusiasm as they bounded through the grass nearby in search of more new things. They were growing well, and it seemed as though tomorrow would be the day she could finally introduce them to her own brother. Hazel was looking forward to it, seeing how both the Vaporeon and the kits reacted to each other for that first time. Not to mention he would be able to help her come up with a decent name for them both, she couldn't call them '_little ones_' forever.

"_But that can wait a while longer,_" she mused, munching on her last hazelnut as she watched her daughter discover a small stick and the other kit almost immediately deciding he wanted it, the two launching into a game of tag as she raced away with him giving chase.

Hazel laughed when her daughter ran around behind her and tried to hide in her tail, only to find that her brother had looped around the other way and snuck up on her from behind. The mama Flareon pulled her tail out of the way as the two went from tag to a tug-of-war over the stick, until it snapped and left the two of them squeaking indignantly as they fell on their haunches, each with half of a broken twig in their mouths.

Seeing an opportunity, Hazel pounced on the two of them, pinning them both and and going straight for the belly rubs. The three of them laughing, tails wagging happily as they played in the morning sun. Hazel gave a mock frown as heer children escaped her grasp and tackled her. She fell onto her side, letting the two of them wrestle with her to their hearts content.

"_It's their first day outside,_" she thought to herself, looking up at the sky even as her son tried to pin her tail down, "_let's make the most of it before those rain clouds get us._"

They probably had a few more hours before the dark clouds coming from the mountain passed over head, plenty of time to play and explore before hunkering down until the next morning when things cleared up again. And then it would be time to go visit a certain grumpy water Eon.


	3. Hazel - A Mother's Will

Yeah... sorry this took forever. And for the whole soul-crushing I'm about to do.

Not really much else I can say, other than this was really hard to write. I get attached to characters way too easy.

**Tales of Flame - Side Stories**

**Hazel - A Mother's Will**

The storm had hit right on cue, driving Hazel and the kits back into the den as the sun started to set. Thankfully Hazel had managed to shore up her home's canopy with grass, dirt and leaves, welding them into place with superheated saliva if neccessary, so the roof was more than capable of withstanding the torrential rain. The Eevee twins had curled up to their mother and fallen asleep almost immediately, exhausted from a long day of exploring and getting into mischief. Neither of them so much as stirred at the occasional rumble of thunder from overhead. Hazel had soon joined the two in sleep, letting them both draw from the warmth in her fur, only to find herself stirring again some time later.

She blinked in the darkness, bringing herself back to full alertless. She didn't know what had made her rouse from her sleep so suddenly, she couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary. Although that wasn't saying much with a storm raging overhead. Still the Flareon paused, breathing out the tiniest sparks to make just enough light to see in the den. She made sure to aim them well above her kits, the two of them cuddling up against the white fur of her chest without a care in the world. They certainly didn't seem to think anything was wrong and Hazel was more than tempted to lay her head back down and go back to some much needed rest.

But something wasn't feeling right. She didn't know what, or even how she knew, but there was just a feeling running through her that gave her a sense of unease. Thankfully the fur on her chest was thick enough that her little ones couldn't feel the slow increase in her heart as she strained her hearing. Still nothing, nothing but the drumming of rain and the rumble of thunder. All she could smell was wet grass and dust, no help there, so that left her with only one option left. Actually going out to see for herself. She groaned quietly to herself, slowly shifting and shuffling her way free of the two Eevee twins without waking them.

It took only a few seconds for them to whimper in their sleep, noticing the sudden lack of their mother's warmth. She gently nudged the two of them together, hoping that would buy her at least a few minutes to go outside and investigate. Smiling down at the two brown and white bundles of fur that coiled around eachother, clutching at their tails, Hazel gave them both a quick nuzzle.

"No getting into trouble while I'm gone," she whispered, chuckling to herself as she quietly stepped over the two and towards the exit to the den. Thankfully years of practice at sneaking up on Vapor when they were kits had left her with quite a knack for moving quietly, the kits didn't so much as stir as she made her way out into the storm.

It wasn't as bad as it had been when it had first broke, but the rain still soaked through her fur and sending a chill straight to the bone almost immediatly the moment she stuck her head out into the open air. She sighed to herself, ignoring the cold for the moment. She could raise her body temperature using her fire abilities, but there wasn't much point if she was going to have to walk out into the storm. And, with no immediate sign of the cause of her unease, it certainly seemed like that was going to be the case. The years of living on her own had taught her caution, however, and she paused at the entrance to take another listen, sniffing the air once more. Still nothing, so she stepped out into the rain.

Thankfully the intermittent flashes of lightning were doing wonders to help her see even with the moon and stars hidden behind black clouds. The Flareon cast her gaze in every direction as she stepped out into the open, fur rapidly becoming completely soaked through. She bit back the discomfort, focusing on looking for any sign, anything out of place. And eventually she spotted one. As lightning flashed over head, she saw a glint of light reflecting off of something in the corner of her eye, coming from the bushes that hid her den from the road into Cerulean City. Something that most definitely had not been there earlier. She crouched low, ignoring the mud staining her sodden fur, sneaking towards the strange thing with a burst of fire ready at a moment's notice.

Silently she approached, keeping to the tall grass as much as she could until she was as close as she dared get. Hazel took a deep breath to steady herself, peering out of her hiding place and getting her first good look at the strange thing as another lightning flash lit up the sky. It was a small round disc, made of some kind of polished stone. There was a thread running through a hole in its center, tying the strange object to a branch. Hazel had never seen anything like it before, it didn't look like anything a Human would leave around... Part of her wanted to investigate further but another was telling her it was clearly nothing that couldn't wait until morning. She tilted her head, mimicking her brother for a moment as she started to weigh up her options. When a sudden rustling in the grass snapped her out of her thoughts. She spun around to face this strange noise only for a tan blur to slam into her side and pin her to the muddy ground.

A sudden intense pain raced along her left flank, matched only by the cold sensation of liquid not from the storm starting to run down her hind leg as her attacker crashed her into the ground. Whatever it was, it was far bigger than her. There was no way she was going to shake it off, not when it's jaws clamped tight on the back of her neck, keeping her unable to turn and roast it with fire. Hazel gritted her teeth, a sudden rage she had never felt before taking over. She couldn't let this thing win, not when her two Eevee were so vulnerable. It might have her pinned, she might not be able to fry it. But she was a Flareon, an Eon of fire. Simply pinning her down wasn't going to stop her.

She could feel it, even behind the lancing agony in her side, a burst of heat inside. And so she concentrated, stoking the fire; rage and adrenaline fueling it higher and higher in a matter of seconds. And with it went her body temperature, soaring far past what would be safe for a non-fire type, until the water soaking her fur started to boil and her attacker found itself inside a cloud of steam. It recoiled from the sudden scalding vapour engulfing its head and paws, losing its grip. And that was all Hazel needed. She rolled onto her back, looking through the steam and still falling rain. A flash of lightning illuminated the seared and startled gaze of a Persian.

And then there was another source of light entirely. Hazel's maw filled with fire as she launched upwards and clamped superheated teeth into the beast's shoulder. She heard it yelp as fire roasted the new puncture wounds further, burning through flesh and muscle. She didn't care, glaring up at the thing with a fury only a mother knows. It managed to clock her around the head with a paw. Its claws opening another scratch but her grip didn't weaken as stars danced in her eyes. Eventually the Persian tore itself free, launching backwards on three legs, trying to shield the blackened and burned limb from further punishment from the Flareon whose fur was still glowing red hot.

Hazel got back to her feet, watching the Persian all the while. Her glare didn't even waver as she felt her wounded leg nearly give out underneath her weight, she didn't flinch as the movement opened the slice along her side even deeper. Pain wasn't going to stop her, not while that _thing_ was standing so close to her den and the little ones inside. She let her body temperature drop back down a little, thinning the cloud of steam around her enough to be able to aim as she redirected that heat to build a blast of fire. No matter how powerful the storm, it was not going to stop a maternal-instinct powered Flamethrower. And the Persian knew it, the light from the fire leaking from between her teeth illuminating a look of fear as it started to backpeddle as quick as it could on three legs.

The was only one thing that made her pause. Mere moments before roasting the feline with every spark she could muster, she spotted its gaze flick away from her. Away from the Flareon about to blast it, to something behind her, back where she'd seen that pendant. Whatever it had seen had somehow erased the fear from seconds before. It was a temporary thing though, the look of terror in its eye returning in a flash as a lick of flame burnt along its flank. Hazel had held back half of the Flamethrower as she spun around, ignoring the lancing agony in her side and leg that had her head swimming as she unleashed the remaining blast straight at the larger, looming figure plucking the strange disk from the branches.

In the half second before impact, she saw yellow and brown fur lit up by the approaching inferno. She saw a crooked nose hiding what looked to be a faint smile as the creature held the pendant out in front of it, a cold purple glint shining through the red and yellows of the fire as it, somehow, was redirected. Hazel bit back the fear and sudden wave of dread as she let the stream of fire fade away, revealing the strange Pokemon unharmed. The grasses and undergrowth around it had not been so lucky, the rain throwing up thick clouds of steam as it extinquished the burning plantation. Said clouds being waved away and dispersed by another effortless wave of the silvery pendant.

"Who are you?" Hazel called out, flinching slightly as lightning lit up the surreal figure that towered over her. She could hear the Persian taking advantage of the situation to retreat away from her and the den. But she still didn't dare back up despite that it was every instinct she possessed was telling her to do. She couldn't show weakness, not until she knew what she was up against. And it would take a little while for her to build another Flamethrower, faking bravado and stalling seemed the way to go.

If the Pokemon knew she was faking, or even cared, he didn't show it. He simply stood before her, the silver pendant hanging perfectly still on its thread undeterred by the winds as it replied in a distinctly male voice, "people just call me Hypno."

The voice of this strange, threatening figure sent an unnatural chill through Hazel that had nothing to do with her deep wounds. Despite the fact that she'd practically had to yell to be heard over the torrential rain, the other Pokemon hadn't even raised his voice, and yet she still heard it as though he were right next to her. And there was something in his eyes, the deep spheres reflecting the flashes of lightning above that gave his gaze a powerful piercing quality that just set the Flareon mother even further on edge. She wanted to run, her survival instinct screaming at her to leave as fast as she could and just maybe she'd get out of this in one piece. But her maternal instincts demanded she stay put, between this _thing_ and her children no matter the danger. And the latter desire was a hundredfold stronger.

Hypno, if he saw her determination at all, seemed to find it more amusing than impressive, clearly laughing as he fiddled with the silver pendant that started to give off an illuminating glow.

"Cute. Believing you can stand up against a psychic that could beat you in a battle with ease." He grinned, every movement somehow setting Hazel further and further on edge. "Although there is one other thing you seemed to have missed."

"Really?" She growled back, happy to let this thing talk while she built up her fire again.

"I don't need to waste the energy fighting you. I sent the Persian to kill you, after all. You might have thrown it off but, well, you seem to be losing a lot of blood from that leg there."

The moment he said it, the moment she had her attention focused on it, the pain in her side multiplied a hundredfold. She couldn't fight the hiss of pain as she felt the burning mixed with the feeling of blood running down her flank. The Hypno was, unfortunately, correct. She didn't need to look to know that was a lot of blood. Burning the wound shut was out, her ability to absorb fire saw to that, so she had no way to stop it quickly. Not while this thing was around. And with that realisation came a sudden loss of strength, her wounded leg almost giving out under her as the burning agony slowly turned into an almost numb throb. And she was only going to get weaker as time drew on.

"All I need to do is wait." Hypno laughed, a cruel condencing chuckle. "And then I can walk away with your kits."

"You won't touch them!" Hazel practically screamed at the psychic, slamming her bad foot into the ground to try and get better footing and lock her leg in place, no matter how unsteady she was feeling.

"It's a shame really," Hypno sighed, not looking even remotely concerned at the Flareon snarling at him with pure hate in her eyes, "if you hadn't evolved into a Flareon, I could have used you instead and left them alone. But, alas, you and your brother are useless to me. Your kits, however... give them a few weeks and they'll be perfe-"

Whatever the Hypno had been about to say was hidden behind a roar of fire, Hazel unleashing a second Flamethrower straight at it with everything she had. The blast was about as effective as the first, both the flames and the steam being casually waved away by a smug, malicious psychic. And his smile only got bigger when the inevitable happened and Hazel's leg finally gave out, sending her slamming straight into the mud. She tried to fight the dizziness that she just couldn't seem to shake off, even as her side continued to burn, although the pain seemed to be rapidly fading along with what little strength she still had. No matter how hard she struggled, how many times she tried to push herself back up onto her feet, she just ended up back in the mud.

"Just give up. You're already dying and powerless, why drag this out any longer?"

"I won't give up. I won't let you hurt them." Her voice was shaking, not even audible over the storm anymore. It didn't matter, the Hypno heard her anyway, giving that evil grin once more as he raised a foot to step forward...

Only to stop in mid-motion as his attention was suddenly taken away, his pendant's glow almost entirely winking out as he turned to look up the road to Mt Moon. Every hint of that maliciousness joy vanishing from his face to be replaced with sheer annoyance and, Hazel managed to note through the dizziness and fog eating at her mind, a tiny amount of fear.

"How? How is it possible? That lizard was buried under rubble! How can he possibly have gotten out?" The psychic was muttering to himself, barely even registering as the Persian stepped up beside it.

Said Persian was watching its master carefuly, only glancing at Hazel out of the corner of its eye, which gave her all the chance she needed. She ignored the dizziness, ignored the ever growning weakness, ignored the horrible numbness now running along her side. Thinking only of her family, letting the thoughts of them fuel her fire, the desire to defend them lending her the strength and focus to aim and release one more blast of flames. Straight at the distracted Pokemon. The Persian managed to react quick enough, stepping into the middle of the blast and protecting the Hypno from the brunt of the roaring inferno that made her earlier attacks look like mere embers. It's howls of pain drowning out even the storm itself as the psychic it was protecting scrambled out of the way of the flames.

The Flamethrower died down, Hazel unable to raise her head anymore, cheek in the mud as she weakly panted for breath. She watched the Persian stagger away back from where ever it had come from, crying and wimpering as it limped off with its side seared black. And she smiled, her gaze flicking to the Hypno that was looking down at the feline slowly crawling away. He glared back, the smug confidence replaced by anger as he raised his hand to blast the weakened Flareon for daring to attack him. Only for nothing to happen. The Hypno looked straight at his hand, seeming puzzled, until his expression turned to one of horror as he noticed that all he was holding was a burned piece of string. On the ground, amongst the burnt grass, as a half-melted and usless lump of metal.

"Who is powerless now, psychic?" Hazel managed to spit out.

"No matter." Venom dripped from his voice, even as he stepped further away from the Flareon, staying out of her firing line. "I can find a replacement soon enough, you'll be dead and I will come and take what's mine."

"You'll get a beating. I promise you that."

"From who? You can't move, no one will find you before I can come back. In the end, you changed nothing!" The Hypno spat, before crossing over the path leading to Cerulean City and vanishing into the undergrowth after the Persian.

Leaving a very, very weak Flareon laying in the dirt. With only one thought on her mind. She had to find a way to keep her kits safe. She was their mother, she had to find some way to protect them even if she couldn't do it herself. Even if she was dying, even if every second it was harder and harder just to stay awake, she had to do something. And what that Hypno had said, what had got it distracted, that seemed to be the best chance she had. It had looked up the path from the mountain, speaking of someone that it had evidently ran into before, someone that seemed to be heading this way... it was a long shot. But there was no way she was going to last much longer, getting them to Vapor was just not possible...

So she did what she had to. She couldn't stand anymore, so she crawled. Pulling herself through the mud, fighting her numb and heavy limbs every inch of the way even as mud stained her coat. Every second she felt herself get slower, every movement harder, but still she willed herself onward towards the road. She was going to be gone in minutes, there was no escaping that... but if she died in the undergrowth, no one would see her in the darkness of the storm. She had to be found and maybe, just maybe, whoever it was that gave that Hypno pause would look around and find her kits. She didn't have the strength to dwell on how farfetched that thought sounded, every scrap of power she had going into pulling herself through the grasses.

Until, after a few minutes of struggle, the inevitable happened. Her limbs just refused to move anymore, just inches away from the dirt path from the mountain. She couldn't raise her head, her eyes swimming in and out of focus as her breathing slowed. But, before her vision faded completely, she saw it. A flickering light off in the distance, a tiny flame in the middle of the storm. On the path, heading towards her.

"_Please._" Hazel asked as consciousness started to slip away from her one last time, _"Please find them. Please protect them._ _My little ones._"

"_Please._"

Then she was gone.

So she had no way of knowing about how a certain fire lizard came hurtling through the rain. He skidded to a halt by a hedge, a strange sense of unease almost overwhelming as he brushed off his turtle friend. He found the burnt undergrowth, he found the Flareon laying amongst it, and he went on to do everything she had asked of him.

And they both taught Hypno a valuble lesson. Never underestimate a fire type. Especially one that's a mother.


End file.
